Our Goals

What we’re demanding of ICE

Demands for the Building:

Shut down the 1000 District Ave facility
Humane conditions
Communication with family/attorneys
Visitors, including clergy, for detained people
Accompaniment for appointments
Due process for every individual

Demands for the Town:

Inspectors: Make unannounced visits for fire, health, and safety inspections
Revoke occupancy permit at 1000 District Ave
Bob Murray (building owner leasing to ICE): Do not renew lease
National Development (company managing surrounding land and parking lots): stop towing immigrants’ cars; support peaceful protests throughout entire District

Demands for the State:

Zero cooperation with ICE
Proactively inconvenience ICE
Support for immigrants and advocacy organizations
Pro-immigrant legislation
Attorney General: investigate and prosecute ICE agents’ criminality
Outlaw ALPR cameras (such as FLOCK)

Demands for the Federal Government:

Elected officials to make repeated, unannounced inspections (plural)
Elected officials to show up in your communities to stand with constituents and immigrants
Abolish ICE
Establish a fair and humane immigration system
Respect asylum and international law

Our Goals: What we’re asking of ourselves

Remain a nonviolent, inclusive peaceful protest for solidarity, education, and connection
Show love and support for immigrants
Express shame at ICE
Remain focused on bearing witness without getting distracted
Exchange knowledge and opportunities
Build the movement and achieve extreme solidarity
Regardless of your views on other issues, if you support immigrants and their constitutional rights and are committed to nonviolence we want you to join us.”

Leverage our people power to:

Support immigrants, advocacy organizations, and other protest actions
Make ICE facility an inescapable feature of Burlington for residents and visitors
Influence local, state, and federal officials
Build relationships with local businesses

Our Tactics
Why are we not sitting in front of vans or blocking the street?

Why are we not shouting obscenities at the building?

Why do we emphasize safety and de-escalation?

Why do we use self-restraint and avoid cathartic responses?

We will never win hearts and minds with violence, only through peace.

Our CONSISTENCY – our weekly presence, our unwavering commitment to nonviolence, our singular focus on immigrants’ constitutional and human rights – is our power and the key to growing support and expanding our influence.

Bearing Witness New England

Bearing Witness New England